AN OVERTURNED lorry in one of the Mersey tunnels left one man fighting for his life and caused rush-hour traffic chaos last night.

The heavy goods vehicle was on the Liverpool city centre slip road from the Wallasey tunnel when it overturned shortly before

5.30pm, shedding its load of plasterboard and blocking both carriageways. No other vehicle was involved.

Early indications were that the HGV driver had suffered a heart attack. He was taken to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, where his condition was last night said to be "deteriorating."

The incident meant the Liverpool to Wallasey tube of the Kingsway tunnel remained closed all evening to allow the area to be cleared of debris, and for accident investigators to examine the scene.

The location of the accident meant that all traffic from Wallasey to Liverpool had to be diverted on to the west slip road going towards Walton and Bootle, while drivers travelling from Liverpool to Wirral were asked to use the Queensway tunnel.

A crane was used to remove the heavy goods vehicle.

A spokesman for Merseytravel said: "It was a serious accident and as it occurred at peak time, it inevitably caused some delays.

"Mersey tunnel police did their best to move traffic on to the Queensway tunnel to get things moving as quickly as possible.

"It was a complicated job moving the traffic, but tunnel police are well versed in dealing with such incidents as and when they happen.

"Queensway was working well in coping with the extra traffic, despite it being rush hour."

Merseyside police last night said the driver was believed to be a 59-year-old man from Boston, in Lincolnshire.

The accident caused long tailbacks in the city centre.

Scotland Road was temporarily closed in both directions as far as Everton Valley, and Islington was also temporarily closed both ways.